Port of Spain [Trinidad and Tobago], July 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after being conferred with 'The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago' (ORTT), the highest national honour of the country, on Friday, described the award as a reflection of the "eternal and deep friendship" between India and Trinidad and Tobago.
In his acceptance speech at the President's House in Port of Spain, PM Modi stated that he accepted the honour on behalf of 140 crore Indians, emphasising the shared history and culture that underpin this relationship.
"This award reflects the eternal and deep friendship between our countries. I accept this honour as a collective pride on behalf of 140 crore people of India. To confer this award upon the first foreign leader reflects our deep relationship, which is based on common history and culture," the Prime Minister stated.
President of Trinidad and Tobago, Christine Kangaloo, presented PM Modi with the award as he becomes the first foreign leader to be honoured with the award. This is the 25th international honour bestowed upon PM Modi by any country.
The Prime Minister drew a cultural connection during his speech, noting the ancestry of President Kangaloo, who presented the award.
"President Christine Kangaloo's ancestors were from the land of Saint Thiruvalluvar in Tamil Nadu. Thousands of years ago, Saint Thiruvalluvar stated that strong nations should possess six key qualities: a strong army, patriotic people, abundant resources, effective leadership, robust defence, and friendly nations that always stand together. Trinidad and Tobago is such a friendly country for India," he said.
The Prime Minister further elaborated on the multifaceted relationship, blending cultural and sporting ties with strategic cooperation between the two nations.
"There is the thrill of cricket and the spice of pepper in our relations... Deep harmony between two cultures is a great strength of our relations. As a close and trusted partner, we have been emphasising skill development and capacity building of the people of Trinidad and Tobago... Our cooperation is important for the entire Global South. As two vibrant democracies, we will continue to work together for the welfare of the people," PM Modi stated.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Modi held a bilateral meeting with President Kangaloo in Port of Spain.
PM Modi began his first official visit to Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday (local time) with a ceremonial Guard of Honour at Piarco International Airport.
PM Modi's visit to Trinidad and Tobago is part of a broader five-nation tour taking place from July 2 to July 9.
The Prime Minister's visit to Trinidad and Tobago is his first visit to the country as Prime Minister and the first bilateral visit at the Prime Ministerial level since 1999.
The Prime Minister will also be visiting Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia as part of his tour. He will be travelling to Brazil during the fourth leg of his visit, from July 5 to July 8, to attend the 17th BRICS Summit 2025, followed by a state visit to the South American country.